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Mike Fountain
Canadian | birth_date = | birth_place = North York, Ontario | draft = 45th overall | draft_year = 1992 | draft_team = Vancouver Canucks | career_start = 1992 | career_end = 2009 | image = Mike Fountain.gif | image_size = 200px }} Mike Fountain (born January 26, 1972 in North York, Ontario) is a retired professional ice hockey goaltender who has spent parts of three seasons in the National Hockey League. He last played for HC Lada Togliatti in the Kontinental Hockey League. Playing career Fountain played two seasons of junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League with the Oshawa Generals and was named to the OHL First All-Star team in 1992. He was also the spare netminder for Canada at that year's World Junior Championships. Following his junior success, Fountain was selected 45th overall in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks. Fountain turned pro for the 1992–93 season, and was assigned to the Hamilton Canucks of the American Hockey League. He established himself as one of the top goalies outside of the NHL with a standout 1993–94 campaign, during which he led the AHL with 70 appearances, 34 wins, and 4 shutouts, and was named to the league's Second All-Star Team. However, cracking the NHL would be difficult for Fountain. Just as it appeared he was ready to succeed Kay Whitmore as the backup to Kirk McLean with the Canucks, the team acquired highly-rated Corey Hirsch, who passed Fountain on the depth chart and was promoted directly to the NHL. Fountain proceeded to toil for two more seasons in the AHL without getting an NHL opportunity. He was finally able to make his NHL debut mid-way through the 1996–97 season, and did so in memorable style. He became the 19th goalie in NHL history to record a shutout in their first NHL game, doing so against the New Jersey Devils, and nearly scored a goal as well, hitting the post on a shot toward the empty net late in the game. He finished the year with a 2–2–0 record and a 3.43 GAA in 6 appearances. Fountain left Vancouver to sign as a free agent with the Carolina Hurricanes for the 1997–98 season, but struggled when given an opportunity in Carolina, losing all three of his starts and spending most of the next two years in the AHL. He signed with the Ottawa Senators in 1999 and spent two seasons with the organization as their third goaltender, appearing in one NHL game in both years while performing well in the AHL and setting standards no Griffins goalie has attained since. He was named an IHL All Star in 2000/2001 season. In 2001, Fountain left North America to sign in the Russian Super League with HC Lada Togliatti and led the RHL in GAA in his first season. He also set the all time Russian shutout record with 14 shutouts in 43 starts. After two years in Russia, he signed in Germany for 2003–04 with the Iserlohn Roosters. He returned to Russia in 2005, playing for [Chelyabinsk, where he won the Russian Championship and was named MVP before re-joining Lada Togliatti in 2006. Fountain has appeared in 11 NHL games, posting a 2–6–0 record with a 3.47 GAA. External links * *Career stats at eurohockey.net Category:Born in 1972 Category:Beast of New Haven players Category:Canadian ice hockey players Category:Carolina Hurricanes players Category:Grand Rapids Griffins players Category:Hamilton Canucks players Category:Motor City Mechanics players Category:Oshawa Generals alumni Category:Ottawa Senators players Category:Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds alumni Category:Syracuse Crunch players Category:Vancouver Canucks players Category:Lada Togliatti players Category:Iserlohn Roosters players Category:Retired in 2009